The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-02-24

u6lp LEI Tue WDIh
81 know" said John, kindly, looking
at little Clarice with so much sympathy
that she quite warmed toward him, and
continued contidentially:
Once / had a beautiful time-that
was good while ago-a girl knew at
school hunted me up, wrote to me, and
invited me to visit her. 1t was in Phil
adelphla."
And did you goP'
''Ah. yes, and it was "a beautiful
timer' Then. her face falling but
had to come home. 1t was all over IN
three months"
"Ah, that was hard" sympatheti-
cally.
Yes. it was, Mr.. Rogers" taking up
another jacket and beginning on new
hole. ''For they were rich, you know,
and it was quite like old times-their
nice house and ali-and then TO come
back here-the noise and the children,
and clearing up the rooms-it seemed
worse after that But perhaps shouldn't
have minded il 1t hadn't been for
there was something worse than all
that" continued Clarice, working hard
at the jacket with crimson cheeks.
''Will you tell ME about it?" asked
John Rogers, very kindly. his honest
gray ewes softening. ''lt does one good
sometimes to tell ones troubles. and
am so much older than you"
Clarice looked up. quite gratified at
this unexpected sympathy.
Il will tell you. Mr.. Rogers. 1t was
when l was in Philadelphia that met
Harris-Harris Bell-and l was-so
different there, at the parties l went
with Fannie. that he thought was
pretty, and told me so. and said that he
loved me, and wanted me to be his
wife. ] had pretty white dress, you
know" timidly. and glancing blushing
ly down ut her present faded calico,
land wore and-you can
scarcely understand it."
''Yes, | can understand it." said
John, noting tine light in the brown
eyes and the newly-acquired color.
''Tell me the rest, Clarice."
''And we were engaged-and i could
scarcely believe it-but l was very hap
py. He was such a handsome gentle
man. too, and SO aristocratic, and l did
not mind the boarders. or anything,
when l thought about Harris. So at
last he came here TO see me; and he
saw mamma and the children, the house
and the boarders, and l can't tell you
how it was. but he was different. He
didn't tell me he was changed. but he
was restless, and it worried him. and l
saw he cared. l am proud. Mr.. Rogers.
though we are poor now, and l broke
it all up. 1t wasn't the love l had
dreamed Of had read a great MANY
novels. and thought life was fairy
tale and love was beautiful. always
used to think, When some one comes
to love me I'll never be sad or vexed
any more; and Harris seemed to me
all had wished for until | saw the
house and the boarders fretted him.
For had dreamed of a love that would
be out of the common, and that when /
went away with my lover thought l,
too. would be better, just as he wished
me to be. So l told him, Mr.. Rogers,
it was all over, and he said perhaps We
were not fitted to make each other hap
py. And then he went away, and the
work and the noise and the boarders
fretted me as they never had before.
For somehow, although could not love
him as much for treating me so, the
thoughts about him and the dreams
about him were all gone-and | missed
them so.
Poor childr' said John. tenderly.
'.Bnt IT'S my own fault, MIR. Rogers.
| expected too much. There is no such
love Us | have dreamed about and
mother says did very wrong to break
it of. She was very angry with me;
but knew these things would always
fret him. and 1 could not bear it,.
.Ciarice, would it help you any to
know that |. too, have suffered as you
have sutfered?' asked John, for two
shining tears had dropped on the BOYS s
jacket. u. TOO, dreamed of love, and
found woman whom | believed had
given me that love; but because her
parents found in me only plain, poor
man, no longer young. she gave ME up.
She gave up faith, and trust, and hope
because she had not that real love which
you describe.
He stopped speaking He had for
gotten the little girl in her calico gown.
and was gazing abstractedly out of the
window, hard lines of regret aud pas
sionate despair written on his face.
Suddenly he felt little, warm. soft
hand laid gently on his, and Clarice
said:
'Mr. Rogers. l am so sorry"
He wrung the little working hand.
and then he rose and went to his room
and gave way 10 his new sorrow.
Clarice folded her sewing and put it
away, but it comforted her as she went
about her evening duties that Mr..
Rogers had listened to her story. and to
know that he, too, had missed the love
| he dreamed of.